Invertible timer



March 15, 1966 DOCK ET AL 3,240,007

INVER'I'IBLE TIMER Original Filed June 22, 1962 INVENTORS MORTIMER RUSSELL DOCK BY GEORGE c. SWEENEY, JR.

LEWIS H. CHALOUX ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,240,007 INVERTIBLE TIMER Mortimer Russell Dock, 26 Broadway, New York, N.Y., and George C. Sweeney, Jr., and Lewis H. Chaloux, both of 1224 5th Ave., Watervliet, N.Y.

Original application June 22, 1962, Ser. No. 204,392, now Patent No. 3,166,839, dated Jan. 26, 1965. Divided and this application June 13, 1963, Ser. No. 287,553

7 Claims. (Cl. 58-144) This application is a division of our copending application Serial No. 204,392, filed June 22, 1962, for Timer and Method of Making, Mortimer Russell Dock et al., now US. Patent 3,166,839.

This invention relates to a timer.

More specifically, the invention provides a highly sunplified and economical fluid filled timer, of the type in which a transparent tube closed at its opposite ends contains a body of fluid and an object having a different specific gravity from the fluid, so that the object will rise or fall in the fluid at a definite rate, dependent upon the density and viscosity of the fluid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a timer of the mentioned character which is sturdy and durable in construction, entirely free of bubbles within the fluid, reliable and accurate in operation and very economical to construct.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novelty timer which is ornamental and so economical that it is suitable as a gift advertising device for free distribution by large companies and the like to customers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description,

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a timer constructed in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the timer, and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical section through the timer accordance to a slight modification of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, attention'being directed first to FIGURES l and 2, the timer comprises a transparent cylindrical tube 10 formed of clear thermoplastic material of any preferred type, adapted to contain a column 11 of fluid, such as a clear silicone fluid or the like. A ball 12 or like object of a different specific gravity than the fluid is disposed loosely within the bore of the tube 10 and has a diameter somewhat less than the internal diameter of the tube, to allow ready movement of the ball through the fluid within the tube.

The opposite ends of the tube 10 are closed in a fluid tight manner by resilient compressible closure plugs 13, formed of rubber-like material and fitting snugly within the bore of the tube 10 and also serving as end stops to limit the movement of the ball or object 12 axially of the tube. The inner ends of the plugs 13 are preferably conically tapered as shown at 14. Internal annular shoulders 16 are formed integrally upon the tube 10 by an upsetting operation, near and inwardly of the opposite ends of the tube, and these shoulders engage the outer faces of the plugs 13 to lock the same firmly in assembly and in compressive sealing relation to the fluid column 11.

Ornamental end caps 17 formed of plastics material or the like are applied telescopically over the opposite ends of the tube 10 and may be cemented in place, if preferred, or merely frictionally secured to the tube. The end caps 17 preferably have broad flanges 18 at their outer ends to facilitate supporting the timer upright on a level surface. The recessed end faces 19 of the caps 17 are suitable for containing advertising indicia or the like which may be molded thereon. The end caps 17 are preferably opaque so as to conceal substantially the end portions of the timer including the plugs 13, shoulders 16 and associated elements. The caps 17 and ball 12 may be suitably colored to add to the ornamental apperance of the timer.

The use or operation of the timer is well known in the art and described in US. Patent 3,025,665, for example.

FIG. 3 shows a slight modification of the invention where the construction of the timer is identical to the construction shown in FIGURES l and 2 and the same parts above-described are employed. However, in FIG- URE 3, each closure plug 13 is backed up by a rigid preferably metallic disc 20 interposed between each plug 13 and internal shoulder 16 during the fabrication of the timer. This arrangement allows a greater compressive force to be applied by the upsetting tool on the closure plugs and tube 10 during the formation of the shoulders 16. The back-up discs 20 also render the timer some what more stable in construction and a bit more sturdy. All other parts are identical to those previously described in FIGURES 1 and 2.

As is now apparent, the closure means for the ends of the timer tube effectively seal the same and maintain the fluid column under compression so that no bubbles can form, and it is unnecessary to employ any screwthreaded parts or separable parts including separate seals or elements requiring adjustment or which are likely to leak. The construction is highly simplified and economical and embodies a minimum number of parts ideally suited for mass-producing the timer most economically.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A timer or the like comprising a tube body portion which is at least in part transparent, a body of liquid within said tube substantially filling it, an object of a different specific gravity than said liquid disposed loosely within the tube and liquid, closure plugs of compressible material snugly engaged within opposite ends of the tube body portion and closing such ends in a fluidtight manner and compressively engaging said liquid, and annular shoulders formed integral with the tube near opposite ends of the tube and engaging the outer faces of the plugs and backing them up and resisting expansive forces exerted axially upon said plugs by said liquid.

2. The invention as defined by claim 1, and a pair of ornamental closure caps applied over the opposite ends of the tube body portion and substantially concealing said shoulders and closure plugs.

3. The invention as defined by claim 2, and wherein said caps have broad bases to facilitate supporting the timer upright upon a level surface.

4. A timer comprising a transparent tube body portion adapted to contain a body of liquid and a timer object having a specific gravity different from the specific gravity of the liquid, compressible closure plugs for the ends of said tube body portion contacting said liquid and compressively engaging the same, and integral internal annular shoulders on the ends of the tube body portion engaging the outer sides of said plugs and locking the plugs Within the tube body portion.

5. The invention as defined by claim 4, and external caps for the ends of the tube body portion substantially concealing said plugs and shoulders.

6. A timer comprising a transparent tube body portion, a body of liquid filling said tube body portion, a timer object having a specific gravity dilferent from the specific gravity of the liquid placed freely Within the liquid and tube body portion, compressible closure plugs for the ends of the tube body portion contacting the liquid and compressively engaging it, and integral annular shoulders on the ends of the tube body portion outwardly of said plugs and preventing outward axial movement of the plugs and maintaining their compressive engagement with said liquid.

7. The invention as defined by claim 4, and substantially rigid thin back-up discs interposed between said annular shoulders and the outer ends of said plugs to stabilize the plugs.

No references cited.

LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TIMER OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A TUBE BODY PORTION WHICH IS AT LEAST IN PART TRANSPARENT, A BODY OF LIQUID WITHIN SAID TUBE SUBSTANTIALLY FILLING IT, AN OBJECT OF A DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITY THAN SAID LIQUID DISPOSED LOOSELY WIHTIN THE TUBE AND LIQUID, CLOSURE PLUGS OF COMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL SNUGLY ENGAGED WITHIN OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE TUBE BODY PORTION AND CLOSING SUCH ENDS IN A FLUIDTIGHT MANNER AND COMPRESSIVELY ENGAGING AND SAID LIQUID, AND ANNULAR SHOULDERS FORMED INTEGRAL WITH THE TUBE NEAR OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE TUBE AND ENGAGING THE OUTER FACES OF THE PLUGS AND BACKING THEM UP AND RESISTING EXPANSIVE FORCES EXERTED AXIALLY UPON SAID PLUGS BY SAID LIQUID. 